The present invention is directed to a device that treats chemically damaged hair.
The inventor of the present invention is a cosmetologist who has been treating hair for many years. During his career, he has seen many clients whose hair has been damaged by chemicals or over drying of the hair.
During the same period, he also has read many articles concerning the treatment of living tissues with light therapy. This caused the inventor to believe that he could treat his clients' chemically damaged hair and scalp using cold air and light therapy/radiation. He realized that he could not use a light that could further damage the scalp of the hair follicles of his clients.
From his experience, he knew that if he could stimulate the circulation of the scalp, that the hair follicles would receive more blood and nutrients, thereby speeding the process of healing damaged hair follicles. He also knew that hair that has been damaged by chemicals or because of excessive drying was not as strong as hair that had not been damaged, and that damaged hair is prone to being attacked by bacteria. Hair attacked by bacteria tends to have split ends, have an unhealthy look, and falls off prior to the hair cycle being completed.
He decided to invent a device that could treat chemically damaged hair by stimulating the circulation of blood and nutrients of the scalp while at the same time promoting an environment that would not be favorable for the propagation of bacteria. He decided to use a blue light-emitting diode (hereinafter referred as “LED”) to irradiate the scalp, for he knew that the wavelength of the blue LED would not further damage the hair follicles, yet the blue LED would promote the production of free radicals that would destroy bacteria growing around the roots of the hair. He also knew that providing cold air to the scalp of a human promotes circulation.
The following U.S. Patents and Published Applications have addressed the treatment of hair using light therapy: Malak, U.S. Patent Application No. 2005/0256554 A1; Carullu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,258,695 B2; Springer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,500; Barns, U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,174; and Kwan, U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,180. None of the above inventions show a device that delivers cold air while at the same time irradiating an area with a blue LED for the treatment of chemically damaged hair. The cold air blown to the area must be in the range from about 40 degrees Fahrenheit to about 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a device that treats chemically damaged hair by stimulating the circulation of blood and nutrients to the scalp while simultaneously promoting an environment that is not favorable for the propagation of bacteria.